Last updated: Jan. 8th, 2026
Genta OKUDE (Ph.D.)
Postdoc researcher
Kyoto University, Lab of Insect Physiology, Ando Group
Current address: Pesticide Research Institute, Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
Email: gentaokude(at)gmail.com / okude.genta.2a(at)kyoto-u.ac.jp
<Major research interest during 2nd Postdoc (2025.4~)>
Molecular mechanisms of structural coloration in weevils.
(Scientific advisor: Toshiya ANDO)
<Major research interest during 1st Postdoc (2021.4~)>
Molecular mechanisms of hybrid incompatibility in stickleback fish.
(Scientific advisor: Jun KITANO)
<Major research interest during Ph.D (2016.4~)>
Molecular biology of metamorphosis and coloration in dragonflies (Odonata).
(Academic mentor: Takema FUKATSU, Scientific advisor: Ryo FUTAHASHI)
<Education/Career>
2025 Apr.- Postdoc researcher
Kyoto University, Lab of Insect Physiology (Ando Lab.)
2024 Apr.- Postdoc researcher
Ecological Genetics Laboratory, Dept. of Genomics and Evolutionary Biology, National Institute of Genetics. (Kitano Lab.)
2021 Apr.- 2024 Mar. JSPS Postdoc researcher
Ecological Genetics Laboratory, Dept. of Genomics and Evolutionary Biology, National Institute of Genetics. (Scientific advisor: Jun KITANO)
2018 Apr. - 2021 Mar. (Ph.D)
Dept. of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Univ. Tokyo. (Academic mentor: Takema FUKATSU)
Thesis: Molecular mechanisms underlying metamorphosis and color formation in dragonflies. (Academic mentor: Takema FUKATSU)
2016 Apr. - 2018 Mar. (MS)
Dept. of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Univ. Tokyo.
Thesis: Establishment of experimental systems toward understanding metamorphosis in dragonflies. (Academic mentor: Takema FUKATSU)
2012 Apr. - 2016 Mar. (BS)
Graduate Dept. of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Univ. Tokyo
Thesis: Comparative analysis of the differentiation of Kenyon cell subtypes in mushroom body among Hymenopteran insects. (Academic mentor: Takeo KUBO)
2005 Apr. - 2012 Mar. (High school)
Hokurei junior-high/high school (Sapporo, JAPAN)
1993
Born in Sapporo, JAPAN
<Grants>
6. Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists, 2025.4-2029.3
5. Platform for Advanced Genome Science, 2022
4. Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists, 2022.4-2025.3
3. Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (PD), National Institute of Genetics, 2021.4-2024.3
2. Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (DC1), The University of Tokyo, 2018.4-2021.3
1. Graduate Program for Leaders in Life Innovation, The University of Tokyo, 2017.4-2018.3
<Publications (peer-reviewed)>
¶: corresponding author, *: equally contributed
24. Okude G, Yamasaki YY, Hosoki TK, Kanbe H, Kakioka R, Nagano AJ, Kume M, and Kitano J. (2026) Shared and unique patterns of genomic differentiation and introgression between Japanese stickleback species across three sympatric sites. Molecular Ecology, in press.
23. Okude G and Kitano J. (2025) Transcriptomic and epigenetic responses to androgen in throat skin tissue of the three-spined stickleback. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, in press.
22. Kitano J, Sato M, Kanbe H, Okude G, Ishikawa A, Kazeto Y, Makino T. (2025) Functional mutations in the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor in natural stickleback populations at sites identical to human disease-causing mutations. BMC Ecology and Evolution, 25: 98.
21. Okude G¶, Ogihara MH, Moriyama M, Yamagishi T, Yamamoto H, Fukatsu T, Futahashi R¶. (2025) Identification of ecdysteroids and ecdysteroidogenic genes in dragonflies and damselflies. Scientific Reports, 15: 21971.
20. Kitano J, Okude G. (2024) Causative genes of intrinsic hybrid incompatibility in animals and plants: What we have learned about speciation from the molecular perspective. Evolutionary Journal of the Linnean Society, kzae022.
19. Okude G¶, Yamasaki YY, Toyoda A, Mori S, Kitano J¶. (2024) Genome-wide analysis of histone modifications can contribute to the identification of candidate cis-regulatory regions in the threespine stickleback fish. BMC Genomics, 25: 685.
18. Reifová R, Ament-Velásquez SL, Bourgeois Y, Coughlan J, Kulmuni J, Lipinska AP, Okude G, Stevison L, Yoshida K, Kitano J. (2023) Mechanisms of Intrinsic Postzygotic Isolation: From Traditional Genic and Chromosomal Views to Genomic and Epigenetic Perspectives. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, 15: a041607.
17. Kiefer JST, Bauer E, Okude G, Fukatsu T, Kaltenpoth M, Engl T. (2023) Cuticle supplementation and nitrogen recycling by a dual bacterial symbiosis in a family of xylophagous beetles. The ISME Journal, 17: 1029-1039.
16. Sasamoto A, Kotabe A, Takuma Y, Kawashima I, Okude G, Futahashi R. (2022) Description of larva of Anax ephippiger (Burmeister,1839) from Japan, including changes and developments in external morphology (Odonata: Aeshnidae). Tombo, 65: 28-37.
15. Futahashi R, Koshikawa S, Okude G, Osanai-Futahashi M. (2022) Diversity of melanin synthesis genes in insects. Advances in Insect Physiology, 62: 339–376.
14. Okude G¶, Moriyama M, Kawahara-Miki R, Yajima S, Fukatsu T, Futahashi R¶. (2022) Molecular mechanisms underlying metamorphosis in the most ancestral winged insect. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119 (9): e2114773119.
13. Takahashi M, Okude G, Futahashi R, Takahashi Y, Kawata M. (2021) The effect of the doublesex gene in body color masculinization of the damselfly Ischnura senegalensis. Biology Letters, 17: 20200761.
12. Okude G¶, Fukatsu T, Futahashi R¶. (2021) Comprehensive comparative morphology and developmental staging of final instar larvae toward metamorphosis in the insect order Odonata. Scientific Reports, 11: 5124.
-> Selected as "Top 100 in Ecology (2021)" collection of Scientific Reports journal.
11. Okude G¶, Fukatsu T, Futahashi R¶. (2021) Electroporation-mediated RNA interference method in Odonata. Journal of Visualized Experiments, Journal of Visualized Experiments, 168: e61952.
10. Okude G¶, Futahashi R¶. (2021) Pigmentation and color pattern diversity in Odonata. Current Opinion in Genetics and Development, 69: 14–20.
9. Noda T, Okude G, Meng XY, Koga R, Moriyama M, Fukatsu T. (2020) Bacteriocytes and Blattabacterium endosymbionts of the German cockroach Blattella germanica, the forest cockroach Blattella nipponica, and other cockroach species. Zoological Science, 37(5): 1-12.
8. Okude G, Futahashi R. (2020) Interspecific hybrid between Paracercion sieboldii and P. melanotum from Japan. Notulae Odonatologicae, 9(5): 204-208. DOI:10.5281/zenodo.3823261.
7. Okude G¶, Fukatsu T, Futahashi R. (2020) Interspecific crossing between blue-tailed damselflies Ischnura elegans and I. senegalensis in the laboratory. Entomological Science, 23(2): 165-172.
6. Futahashi R, Yamahama Y, Kawaguchi M, Mori N, Ishii D, Okude G, Hirai Y, Kawahara-Miki R, Yoshitake K, Yajima S, Hariyama T, Fukatsu T. (2019) Molecular basis of wax-based color change and UV reflection in dragonflies. eLife, 8: e43045.
5. Hirota B, Okude G, Anbutsu H, Futahashi R, Moriyama M, Meng XY, Nikoh N, Koga R, Fukatsu T (2017) A novel, extremely elongated, and endocellular bacterial symbiont supports cuticle formation of a grain pest beetle. mBio, 8(5): e01482-17.
4. Okude G¶, Koga R, Hayashi T, Nishide Y, Meng XY, Nikoh N, Miyanoshita A, Fukatsu T¶. (2017) Novel bacteriocyte-associated pleomorphic symbiont of the grain pest beetle Rhyzopertha dominica (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae). Zoological Letters, 3: 13.
3. Okude G¶, Futahashi R ¶, Tanahashi M, Fukatsu T. (2017) Laboratory rearing system for Ischnura senegalensis (Insecta: Odonata) enables detailed description of dragonfly’s larval development and morphogenesis. Zoological Science, 34(5): 386–397.
2. Okude G＊, Futahashi R＊, Kawahara-Miki R, Yoshitake K, Yajima S, Fukatsu T. (2017) Electroporation-mediated RNA interference reveals a role of multicopper oxidase 2 gene in dragonfly’s cuticular pigmentation. Applied Entomology and Zoology, 53(3): 379–387.
1. Suenami S, Paul KR, Takeuchi H, Okude G, Fujiyuki T, Shirai K, Kubo T. (2016) Analysis of the Differentiation of Kenyon Cell Subtypes Using Three Mushroom Body-Preferential Genes during Metamorphosis in the Honeybee (Apis mellifera L.). PLoS ONE, 11(6): e0157841.
<Preprints>
1. Uchiyama H, Takasu Y, Moriyama M, Yoshitake K, Uchiyama H, Iizuka T, Uchino K, Okude G, Banno Y, Kuwazaki S, Yamamoto K, Yajima S, Sezutsu H, Tamura T, Futahashi R, Osanai-Futahashi M. (2023) A novel monocarboxylate transporter involved in 3-hydroxykynurenine transport for ommochrome coloration. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.06.01.543243
<Publications in Japanese (peer-reviewed)>
10. Okude G, Futahashi R. (2024) Relationship between the type of non-woven meshes and the adult emergence rate of the dragonfly Pseudothemis zonata (Burmeister, 1839). TOMBO, 67: 119–120. (in Japanese with English abstract)
9. Okude G, Futahashi R. (2023) Morphological changes during the final nymphal instar and the genes essential for metamorphosis in dragonflies and damselflies. TOMBO, 66: 1–12. (Japanese review paper)
8. Takuma Y, Okude G, Futahashi R. (2021) Report on a supernumerary molting in Anisogomphus maacki (Selys, 1872) in its final larval instar and Ischnura senegalensis (Rambur, 1842) in its penultimate larval instar. TOMBO, 63: 68–71. (in Japanese with English abstract)
7. Okude G, Watanabe K, Futahashi R. (2020) DNA analysis of Neurothemis terminata Ris, 1911 collected in Ishigaki Island. TOMBO, 62: 106-108. (in Japanese with English abstract)
6. Tamada A, Okude G and Futahashi R. (2019) A white-winged female of Mnais costalis collected in Niigata Prefecture. TOMBO, 61: 41–43. (in Japanese with English abstract)
5. Futahashi R, Futahashi H, Okude G. (2018) Interspecific hybrids between Anax nigrofasciatus Oguma, 1915 and Anax parthenope（Selys, 1839) collected around the same pond and time derived from different mothers (2). Aeschna, (54): 45–46. (in Japanese with English abstract)
4. Sugimura M, Okude G, Futahashi R. (2018) DNA analyses of three dragonfly hybrids previously suspected by external morphology. TOMBO, 60: 53–56. (in Japanese with English abstract)
3. Okude G, Futahashi R, Udono K. (2018) DNA analysis of a hybrid between Sympetrum eroticum and Sympetrum pedemontanum collected in 1962. TOMBO, 60: 50–52. (in Japanse in Japanese with English abstract)
2. Futahashi R, Okude G, Sugimura M, Ugai S. (2018) Interspecific hybrids in Japanese Odonata. TOMBO, 60: 1–49. (in Japanese with English abstract, figures and tables)
1. Goto H, Futahashi R, Okude G. (2017) The Records of Coenagrion lanceolatum (Selys, 1872) (Odonata, Coenagrionidae) at Four Sites in Ibaraki Prefecture. Bulletin of Ibaraki Nature Museum,（20）: 35-36（2017）(in Japanese)
<Publications in Japanese (not peer-reviewed)>
1. Okude G. (2018) Establishment of experimental systems toward understanding metamorphosis in dragonflies. The Nature and Insects, 53(5): 13–17. (in Japanese)
<International conference presentations (peer-reviewed)>
7. Okude G○, Moriyama M, Fukatsu T, Futahashi R. Molecular mechanisms underlying yellow color formation in dragonflies. ICE2024 Kyoto (Symposium: Genetics and Genomics: Frontiers in Research on the Molecular Basis underlying the Diversity of Insect Color Patterns). (Oral presentation) Aug 27th, 2024, Kyoto.
6. Okude G○, Kitano J. Developmental and molecular mechanisms of hybrid male sterility between two sympatric stickleback species. Gordon Research Conference, Speciation (The Origin and Persistence of Species). (Poster presentation) Jan 31st, 2023. Lucca, Italy.
5. Okude G○, Kitano J. Developmental and molecular mechanisms of hybrid male sterility between two sympatric stickleback species. Gordon Research Seminar, Speciation (The Origin and Persistence of Species). (Oral presentation) Jan 28th, 2023. Lucca, Italy.
4. Okude G○, Moriyama M, Fukatsu T, Futahashi R. Molecular mechanisms underlying metamorphosis in the insect order Odonata. August 17th, 2021. The 2nd AsiaEvo Conference (Online poster presentation).
3. Okude G, Futahashi R, Fukatsu T. Molecular mechanisms of metamorphosis in dragonflies. July 2nd, 2019. Kolymbari, Crete, Greece. 4th International Insect Hormone Workshop (Oral presentation).
→Received “1st Prize for Student Oral Presentation”
2. Okude G, Futahashi R, Fukatsu T. Establishment of experimental systems toward understanding metamorphosis in dragonflies. October 4th, 2018. Sapporo, Japan. The 46th Naito Conference: Mechanisms of evolution and biodiversity (Oral and Poster presentation).
→Received “Poster Award for Excellence”
1. Okude G, Futahashi R, Tanahashi M, Fukatsu T. Detailed description of larval development and morphogenesis in the dragonfly Ischnura senegalensis. July 13th, 2017. Nasu, Japan. The 3rd International Insect Hormone Workshop (Oral presentation).
→Received “Excellent Presentation Awards”
<Invited talk at domestic (Japanese) conference>
4. Okude G, Moriyama M, Fukatsu T, Futahashi R. Molecular mechanisms underlying yellow color formation in dragonflies. September 2024. Nagasaki, Japan. 95th Annual Meeting of the Zoological Society of Japan (Oral presentation).
3. Okude G, Moriyama M, Kawahara-Miki R, Yajima S, Fukatsu T, Futahashi R. Molecular mechanisms underlying metamorphosis in the most ancestral winged insects: dragonflies and damselflies. December 2022. Makuhari, Japan. Workshop "9th Insect meeting", The 45th Annual Meeting of the Molecular Biology Society of Japan. (Oral presentation)
2. Okude G. Molecular mechanisms underlying metamorphosis and color formation in non-model insects, dragonflies: Using RNAseq and RNAi. March 2021. Online. Symposium "Forefront of zoological research using recent technology", 73rd Kanto-area Meeting of the Zoological Society of Japan. (Online oral presentation)
1. Okude G. Toward understanding molecular mechanisms of metamorphosis in dragonflies. August 2019. Osaka, Japan. Symposium “Zoological Science Award：the gateway to success for young zoologists”, 90th Annual Meeting of the Zoological Society of Japan. (Oral presentation)
<Domestic (Japanese) conference presentations>
23. Okude G, Kitano J. Transcriptomic and epigenetic responses to androgen in throat skin tissue of the three-spined stickleback. September 2024. Nagoya, Japan. 96th Annual Meeting of the Zoological Society of Japan (Poster presentation).
22. Okude G, Hosoki T, Yamasaki Y, Nagano A, Toyoda A, Kitano J. Genomic analysis of hybrid male sterility between two sympatric stickleback species. August 2024. Nagahama, Japan. 27th Annual Meeting of the Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan (Poster presentation).
21. Okude G. Genomic analysis of hybrid male sterility between two sympatric stickleback species. December 2023. Yokohama, Japan. Platform for Advanced Genome Science (PAGS) Meeting 2024 (Poster presentation).
20. Okude G, Hosoki T, Yamasaki Y, Nagano A, Toyoda A, Kitano J. Genomic analysis of hybrid male sterility between two sympatric stickleback species. September 2024. Nagasaki, Japan. 95th Annual Meeting of the Zoological Society of Japan (Oral presentation).
19. Okude G, Kitano J. Comparison of histone modifications between sympatric stickleback species. August 2024. Kanagawa, Japan. 26th Annual Meeting of the Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan (Poster presentation).
18. Okude G. Single-cell RNAseq to understand the mechanisms of hybrid male sterility in sticklebacks. December 2023. Yokohama, Japan. Platform for Advanced Genome Science (PAGS) Meeting 2023 (Poster presentation).
17. Okude G, Moriyama M, Fukatsu T, Futahashi R. Molecular mechanisms underlying yellow color formation in dragonflies and damselflies. December 2023. Tsu, Mie. Annual Meeting of the Zoological Society of Japan, for Tokai-area 2023 (Poster presentation).
16. Okude G, Hosoki T, Toyoda A, Kitano J. Developmental and molecular mechanisms of hybrid male sterility between two sympatric stickleback species. September 2023. Yamagata, Japan. 94th Annual Meeting of the Zoological Society of Japan (Oral presentation).
15. Okude G, Mori S, Toyoda A, Kitano J. Gene expression analysis of red nuptial coloration in three-spined stickleback. September 2022. Tokyo, Japan. 93rd Annual Meeting of the Zoological Society of Japan (Oral presentation).
14. Okude G, Yamasaki Y, Toyoda A, Kitano J. Identification of histone methylation in stickleback. August 2022. Numazu, Japan. 23rd Annual Meeting of the Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan (Oral presentation).
13. Okude G, Futahashi R, Fukatsu T. Functional analyses of ecdysone-related transcription factors in Odonata. September 2021. Online. 92nd Annual Meeting of the Zoological Society of Japan (Online poster presentation).
12. Okude G, Futahashi R, Fukatsu T. Comprehensive comparative morphology and developmental staging of final instar larvae toward metamorphosis in dragonflies. October 2020. 20th Bio UT (Online presentation).
→Received “Poster Award for Excellence”
11. Okude G, Moriyama M, Fukatsu T, Futahashi R. Molecular mechanisms underlying blue spot formation in blue-tailed damselfly (Ischnura senegalensis). September 2020. Online. 22nd Annual Meeting of the Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan (Online poster presentation).
→Received “Poster Award”
10. Okude G, Moriyama M, Fukatsu T, Futahashi R. Molecular mechanisms underlying yellow color pattern formation in dragonflies. September 2020. Online. 91st Annual Meeting of the Zoological Society of Japan (Online poster presentation).
9. Okude G, Futahashi R, Fukatsu T. Gene functional analyses about metamorphosis and coloration in dragonflies. March 2020. Nagoya, Aichi. 64nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Applied Entomology and Zoology (Poster presentation).
8. Okude G, Futahashi R, Fukatsu T. Molecular mechanisms underlying yellow color pattern formaqtion in dragonflies. September 2019. Sapporo, Japan. 21st Annual Meeting of the Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan (Oral presentation in English)
→Received “1st Prize for Student Oral Presentation”
7. Okude G, Futahashi R, Moriyama M, Kawahara R, Yajima S, Futatsu T. Functional analyses of larval-and adult-specific genes in dragonflies. March 2019. Tsukuba, Ibaraki. 63rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Applied Entomology and Zoology (Poster presentation).
→Received “Poster Award for Excellence”
6. Okude G, Futahashi R, Moriyama M, Kawahara R, Yajima S, Fukatsu T. Functional analyses of candidate genes relevant to metamorphosis in damselflies Ischnura senegalensis. September 2018. Sapporo, Hokkaido. 89th Annual Meeting of the Zoological Society of Japan (Oral presentation).
5. Okude G, Futahashi R, Moriyama M, Kawahara R, Yajima S, Fukatsu T. Establishment of experimental systems toward understanding molecular mechanisms of metamorphosis in dragonflies. March 2018. Kagoshima, Japan. 62nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Applied Entomology and Zoology (Oral presentation).
4. Okude G. Establishment of experimental systems toward understanding metamorphosis in dragonflies. December 2017. Tokyo, Japan. 5th Eco-Evo-Devo colloquium. (Oral presentation)
3. Okude G, Futahashi R, Tanahashi M, Kawahara R, Yajima S, Fukatsu T. Comparative analysis of morphology and gene expression patterns via metamorphosis in damselfly. September 2017. Toyama, Japan. 88th Annual Meeting of the Zoological Society of Japan (Oral presentation).
2. Okude G, Futahashi R, Tanahashi M, Fukatsu T. Establishment of laboratory rearing system and electroporation-mediated RNA interference method in dragonflies. April 2017. Tokyo, Japan. 17th Bio UT (Poster presentation).
1. Okude G, Futahashi R, Kawahara R, Yoshitake K, Yajima S, Fukatsu T. Establishment of electroporation-mediated RNA interference method in dragonflies. March 2017. Osaka, Japan. 61st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Applied Entomology and Zoology (Poster presentation).
→Received “Poster Award for Excellence”
<Honors and Awards>
18. Presentation Awards for Young Scientists, ICE2024 Kyoto (Aug. 2024)
17. Young Scientist Initiative Award, SESJ (Aug. 2024) HP
16. 39th Inoue Research Award for Young Scientists (Dec. 2022) HP
15. Narishige Zoological Science Award (2022) HP
14. Excellent Doctoral Thesis Award, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo (Mar. 2021)
13. JSPS IKUSHI PRIZE (Jan. 2021) HP
12. Poster Award for Excellence, 20th Bio UT (Oct. 2020)
11. Poster Award, 22nd Annual Meeting of the Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan (Sep. 2020)
10. 1st Prize for Student Oral Presentation, 21st Annual Meeting of the Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan (Aug. 2019)
9. 1st Prize for Student Oral Presentation, The 4th International Insect Hormone Workshop (Jul. 2019)
8. Poster Award for Excellence, 63th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Applied Entomology and Zoology (Mar. 2019)
7. Zoological Science Award 2018 (Dec. 2018)
6. Poster Award for Excellence, The 46th Naito Conference (Oct. 2018)
5. Excellent Master Thesis Award, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo (Mar. 2018)
4. EXCELLENT PRESENTATION AWARDS, The 3rd International Insect Hormone Workshop (Jul. 2017)
3. BEST POSTER AWARD, Graduate Program for Leaders in Life Innovation (GPPLI) 5th General Meeting (Jun. 2017)
2. Excellent Oral Presentation Award, Retreat Meeting 2017 for the Department of the Biological Sciences. (Mar. 2017)
1. Poster Award for Excellence, 61st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Applied Entomology and Zoology (Mar. 2017)